Minnows

[fishgiver]

I had a weak moment and bought a minnow trap. Question, how do I use it to catch minnows. Where, how deep , what bait and where to use it.
Thanks,
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]A few suggestions. First, you have to find a source of minnows...chubs, redside shiners, fathead minnows, sucker minnows, baby carp, etc. Depending on where you live, there are likely to be some small creeks or canals with something suitable in them. Also some small ponds and bigger lakes...around the shoreline.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Second...spray paint the metal green...especially if you got the shiny metal ones. Green is always more appealing and less scary to minnows.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Third, get some good stout twine...that does not tangle easily and that you can toss without it hanging up. Tie it securely to the snap hook fastener for the trap on one end...and to a piece of wood or some other handle to hold onto at the other end. Don't short yourself on the cord. You may have to toss out off a high bank or out farther into a lake to get minnows. 50' should be enough for almost any situation.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Fourth, ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS be sure to securely fasten the snap hook in the middle of the trap before throwing. Otherwise, you can lose half or all of your trap on the throw. Been there, done that. And always have a rod rigged with a big lure with a treble hook in case you blow the first part.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Bait your trap with pieces of bread...and a half a handful of cheap dry dog food. Save the last few pieces from an "aging" loaf of bread and put them in the freezer...to take out the night before the minnow trip. You can use fresh bread. The minnows don't care. They also don't care about white, wheat or gluten free.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Toss your traps into areas you have seen holding minnows...or into a spot where you think they might be in deeper water. Then check the trap after a half hour or so. If there are no minnows, move your trap around until you find minnows.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Depending on the water you are minnowing, and the time of year, the little tykes can be anywhere from very shallow to several feet deep. It might take some prospecting and experimenting to score.
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[fishgiver]

As usual, THANK YOU!
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[catchinon]

I have been giving some thought to building a clover-leaf trap to target the slightly larger basitfish than can fit in a regular minnow trap. Would it be kosher to use such at, say, Lincoln harbor? Any light you can shed would be much appreciated.
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[TubeDude]

[quote catchinon]I have been giving some thought to building a clover-leaf trap to target the slightly larger basitfish than can fit in a regular minnow trap. Would it be kosher to use such at, say, Lincoln harbor? Any light you can shed would be much appreciated.[/quote]

[#0000FF]What kind of "slightly larger" baitfish are you thinking of? If it is white bass then catching them in a trap or net is illegal. If it is carp it is probably improbable. Very small carp fry (under 3-4") do swim around in small schools near shore and in protected areas for a time after hatching. But they grow fast and soon disperse into shoreline weeds or other cover around the lake where they are less available to predators...and anglers with minnow traps.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]While DWR is generally tolerant of wholesale harvest of white bass and carp, a strict CO might find your large "fish trap" to be outside the limits of what they tolerate. I wouldn't chance it.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]For what it's worth, in about a month you will be able to catch all the small white bass you want or need on any given morning at daybreak...at almost any harbor...all around the ramps. They swarm in by the thousands and swirl on the surface as they chow down on midges. Any small jig or fly will get instant attention. But as soon as boats start launching the fun is over.[/#0000FF]
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[ice_sled]

I used to build clover leaf minnow traps for bluegill. When I lived in Kentucky I used them to catch bluegill for bait. The problem out here is that the opening is to large. A one inch diameter hole is the largest intrance for a trap.
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[catchinon]

Thanks for the clarification. Yeah, I was thinking of white bass and carp. I got a little because white bass are gamefish but also usable for bait. So if I set a regular minnow trap and end up with white bass I need to release them, right?

I need to fish for trout and quit being obsessed with the cats. In an old post LOAH mentioned that you could trap plenty of redside shiners at Electric Lake so I may head there soon.

Again, thanks for keeping me on the strait and narrow.
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[TubeDude]

"So if I set a regular minnow trap and end up with white bass I need to release them, right?"

[#0000FF]Right. Any species not legal to take other than by "angling" must be released. But, in truth, I have never caught any white bass in a minnow trap. I am sure some of the smaller ones would wander in but as they get bigger they won't fit through the standard 1" openings on most traps. But they grow fast and aren't small enough to trap very long. Still best to go after them with small jigs or flies.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Electric Lake used to be full of redside shiners and they were easy to catch in minnow traps or by cast nets. With the changes in the fish plantings I am not sure of the current populations of shiners. I am attaching a couple of pics of redsides from E-Lake.[/#0000FF]
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[fishinfool]

We were up at strawberry over the weekend and if you want chub minnows from 7 inches down to 3 inches they are there for the taking. I decided I will never by minnows on the way up there ever again. There are thousands of them around the slips on the east side of the lodge. I would have bought one of there traps at the lodge except they want 5X more than you can buy one at sportsman's or on line.

I can't believe they don't sell fresh chub minnows up there.

fnf[cool]
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